| Professional Sports Respond to Traumatic Brain | | | | states have the financial means to prevent, diagnose |
| Injury Risk | | | | and treat sports-related concussions in schools. |
| Olympic silver medalist Todd Hays has been forced | | | | Popyer, who has sustained 11 concussions, can no |
| to retire as an American bobsled driver after | | | | longer play basketball due to her head injuries. But |
| sustaining a serious traumatic brain injury. Hays has | | | | she's not alone. Recent statistics show that a |
| been diagnosed with a intraparenchymal hematoma | | | | traumatic brain injury occurs once every 23 seconds |
| where the brain bleeds after suffering trauma. | | | | in the United States. Younger age groups between |
| This potentially life-threatening injury can result in a | | | | the ages of zero and four and teenagers aged 15 |
| stroke if excess bleeding increases pressure on the | | | | through 19 years old are most at risk to sustain a |
| brain. Although Hays is expected to make a full | | | | traumatic brain injury. Brain injuries occur in close to |
| recovery, his retirement is a necessity to prevent | | | | 20 percent of high school athletes each season. |
| additional brain damage. | | | | Although a variety of causes can contribute to a |
| Hays's accident occurred a week after the National | | | | traumatic brain injury - including falls, auto accidents, |
| Football Association announced an updated policy on | | | | being struck by or against an object and assault - |
| concussion management. Under the new guidelines, if | | | | sports-related injuries are a major cause for concern |
| a player shows signs of a concussion, the player will | | | | because they impact younger people whose brains |
| be removed from practice or the game. Previous | | | | are still in the development stages. Individuals |
| policy allowed players to return as soon as the | | | | emotional and cognitive development can be |
| symptoms dissipated, even during the same game | | | | affected. |
| that the injury occurred. | | | | Recent Medical Breakthrough May Help Brain-Injured |
| In October 2009, the United States Congress | | | | Patients While Congress debates the benefits of |
| conducted a hearing on how the NFL handled | | | | traumatic brain injury prevention, recent scientific |
| concussion treatment, which may have prompted the | | | | development may help with traumatic brain injury |
| head injury guideline update. | | | | treatment. A study published in the Proceedings of |
| Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), including concussions, | | | | the National Academy of Sciences found that diets |
| are serious injuries that currently do not have a cure. | | | | rich in amino acids helped restore cognitive abilities in |
| Although concussions are one of many types of | | | | brain-injured mice. |
| TBIs, frequent head injuries can make individuals | | | | Prior to clinical learning and memory trials, |
| more concussion prone, which may impact his or her | | | | TBI-afflicted mice were given an amino acid mixture |
| health as they grow older. According to the Center | | | | in drinking water. Those that received the amino |
| for Disease Control, other brain disorders, such as | | | | acid-rich water responded better than brain-injured |
| Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's Disease, are more | | | | mice that did not receive the amino acid mix. The |
| likely to develop in a TBI patient. Although men are | | | | specific amino acids used are the forerunners of |
| more likely than women to sustain a TBI, brain | | | | important neurotransmitters glutamate and |
| injuries can occur in both men and women. | | | | gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, which facilitate |
| Congress Receives Call to Action These high-profile | | | | vital brain activity. |
| head injuries have brought attention to sports-related | | | | If proven to be successful in human patients, amino |
| concussions and other traumatic brain injuries; | | | | acid traumatic brain injury treatment could financially |
| however younger generations should be concerned | | | | benefit the more than 5 million Americans who are |
| about TBIs as well. Sixteen-year-old Niki Popyer has | | | | permanently disabled from the affects of a traumatic |
| teamed up with two former NFL players to ask | | | | brain injury. TBI aftereffects include problems in |
| Congress to draft legislation developing guidelines to | | | | thinking, sensation, language and emotions, not to |
| control and manage concussions in school sports. The | | | | mention early retirement from sports. Clinical trials are |
| Concussion Treatment and Care Tools Act, or | | | | expected to start in the next year. |
| ConTACT Act, would establish a grant program so | | | | |